Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia
Adapted from these Arthritis Foundation publications: Fibromyalgia brochure and Guide to Good Living with Fibromyalgia. 

How Is It Diagnosed?

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The difficulty with diagnosing someone with fibromyalgia is that there is no clear-cut test to determine fibromyalgia. No evidence of it appears on X-rays or in laboratory test results. There is no diagnostic marker in the blood. People with fibromyalgia often look healthy and have no outward signs of pain or fatigue.

Instead fibromyalgia is diagnosed by the identification of symptoms - the presence of widespread pain in combination with tenderness at specific locations, and chronic fatigue - and the exclusion of other conditions. Doctors use laboratory tests to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as thyroid conditions.

The diagnostic process can take years, partly due to the fact that fibromyalgia remains unfamiliar to many people, including doctors. Fortunately, a greater understanding of fibromyalgia now exists within the medical community. Finding the right doctor can help expedite diagnosis. A rheumatologist or other doctor who is very familiar with this condition is important.